
Christian Petzold
Biography
Christian Petzold (born September 14, 1960; Hilden) is a German filmmaker, best known for directing the films Barbara, Jerichow, and Phoenix. He is credited to the Berlin School and has received numerous prizes and awards.
Petzold writes his own scenarios, often collaborating with Harun Farocki. As his former teacher at dffb, Farocki was a major influence on Petzold, who, along with Angela Schanelec and Thomas Arslan, is generally considered to be part of the Berlin School. While the Berlin School is often associated with a new turn towards realism and political cinema, Petzold's films, while they address issues of work and employment, also deal with conflicts between life and death.
His first film was "Pilots" (1995), which he directed for his film school graduation in 1995. While "The State I Am In" (2000) was his first feature film, also noting his first collaboration with Harun Farocki. In 2005, his film "Ghosts"was presented at the Berlin International Film Festival, as was his 2007 film "Yella". Petzold's film Barbara (2012) competed in competition at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival and Petzold won the Silver Bear for Best Director. The film was selected as the German entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards, but it did not make the final shortlist. For the film Afire (2023), Christian Petzold received the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival in 2023.
Acting (6 movies)
Directing (25 movies)

The State I Am In
2001

Ghosts
2005

Yella
2007

Jerichow
2009

Dreileben: Beats Being Dead
2011

Barbara
2012

Wolfsburg
2003

Cuba Libre
1996

Something to Remind Me
2002

The Sex Thief
1998

Pilots
1995

Phoenix
2014

Mirrors No. 3
2025

Afire
2023

I'm Working Through Everything... Word of Honor!
1988
Mission
1987
Deduction
1994
Glory and Misery of the Gifted
1990

Transit
2018
Where Do You Stand Today, Christian Petzold?
2017

The Warm Money
1992

Eastward
1991

Undine
2020

South
1990

Broads
1989
| Title | Year | Job | 
|---|---|---|
| Broads | 1989 | Writer | 
| South | 1990 | Writer | 
| Eastward | 1991 | Writer | 
| The Warm Money | 1992 | Writer | 
| Pilots | 1995 | Screenplay | 
| Cuba Libre | 1996 | Screenplay | 
| The Sex Thief | 1998 | Screenplay | 
| The State I Am In | 2001 | Writer | 
| Something to Remind Me | 2002 | Writer | 
| Wolfsburg | 2003 | Writer | 
| Ghosts | 2005 | Screenplay | 
| Yella | 2007 | Writer | 
| Jerichow | 2009 | Writer | 
| Dreileben: Beats Being Dead | 2011 | Writer | 
| Barbara | 2012 | Screenplay | 
| Phoenix | 2014 | Screenplay | 
| Where Do You Stand Today, Christian Petzold? | 2017 | Screenplay | 
| Transit | 2018 | Screenplay | 
| Undine | 2020 | Screenplay | 
| Afire | 2023 | Writer | 
| Mirrors No. 3 | 2025 | Screenplay | 





